Monday, December 26, 2011

Quilt top!

One week after we arrived back home I decided I couldn't ignore the neatly packaged up, freshly serviced, sewing machine near the front door any longer.

One week after we arrived back home I was folding some fabric in my sewing room when I was struck by a sudden and very powerful urge to make a quilt.

I think at this stage in time I should tell you that I have never before made a quilt. I have possibly even made a little joke once or twice at the expense of my cutting up fabric and sewing it back together friends (sorry). I had always thought I might be irritated at the fussiness of quilting. That the exactness might not suit my personality. That quarter inch seams and self healing mats might belong to a culture I would never be a part of.

But like I said, the urge struck and who was I to ignore it.

So I gathered up some vintage sheets.
I measured them and cut some strips.
Then I dealt with an incident with Miss Pepper and the rotary cutter and some blood (lesson learned).
And I pinned and sewed the bits of fabric back together.
And then I cut them up again.

And then I got up on a chair and off the chair and on the chair and off the chair to fiddle with the design.

And then I sewed it all together and pressed the seams.

And ta-da!!! A quilt top!!

The wonderful and incredibly beginner friendly pattern is Kate's. I think the hardest part of the entire process was trying to take a picture without the wind blowing it up and around.

I'm a bit excited. And I can hardly wait until midday tomorrow when Merrilyn's shop opens and I can buy some wadding stuff.

Eeeeeeeeeeeep.

In the meantime, as I wait, I'm rummaging through my scraps drawer and googling beginner quilt patterns and dreaming about my next project. I think I'm hooked.

Great job Kate! Only saying to Frank that when I get home I will be getting machine and overlocker serviced also. I have collected a few v.sheets over the last couple of months. I saw a pair in the packet at The Mill at Daylesford, heart skipped a beat but they cost $40. This isn't alot when you consider the cost of new sheets but couldn't come at it when you can be lucky enough to get some for $5. Hope you all had a great xmas!!

Your fabric reminds me of some really pretty vintage sheets I saw a couple of weeks ago at the local Salvos. It was like should I, shouldn’t I? Well I never did. I went back after the weekend to get them but they were gone.  Lesson learnt, don’t procrastinate.

Hi KateJust found your blog in the last couple of days, and have really enjoyed flicking through your posts and reading about your great adventure! You'll love the whole "cutting up only to sew back together process"! Your quilt looks beautiful.Cheers, Trudy

Welcome to the dangerously addictive world of quilts! A good tip that works well for wadding is thrifted wool blankets. You can find them fairly cheap over here (UK) and they make the perfect middle layer for your quilt sandwich :)

Its beautiful!!I always use an old wool/military blanket instead of that wadding stuff. It gives the finished quilt a lovely heavy feeling...feels more proper than that fluff.Depends what you want in the finish i guess.Mxo

That is absolutely beautiful! Did I see this on instagram or something & it was lodged in my subconscious? I have made my first ever quilt top in the last week or so & it really looks alot like this. Mind you, I did not follow a pattern nor did I iron anything. You are way more disciplined than I could ever be. And strangely, I am bordering mine in yellow. I noticed you have a 'thing' for yellow. Uncanny. I found your blog when you were caravanning & this is just me returning for some updates. Kate [yes, I'm Kate too] xo

Hello there! Thiѕ post coulԁn't be written any better! Reading this post reminds me of my old room mate! He always kept chatting about this. I will forward this page to him. Fairly certain he will have a good read. Thank you for sharing!

I do read every single comment you leave and appreciate it very much, but I should let you know that I can be a wee bit on the useless side when replying to comments, that's just me, everyday life sometimes gets in the way....so I'll apologise now, just in case.